Monsieur Croche
Donald Macleod explores Debussy鈥檚 work as an outspoken critic, and in the aftermath of the scandal with soprano Therese Roger, there鈥檚 more shocking behaviour from the composer.
Donald Macleod explores Debussy鈥檚 work as an outspoken critic, and in the aftermath of the scandal with soprano Therese Roger, there鈥檚 more shocking behaviour from the composer.
In the music of Claude Debussy there have been said to run dangerous and destructive currents. His radical works did forge a path which would redefine music in the 20th century, but his beautiful music runs contrary to his shocking personal life. The Scottish soprano Mary Garden said of him, 鈥淚 honestly don鈥檛 know if he ever loved anybody really. He loved his music 鈥� and perhaps himself.鈥� The lies and duplicity, deception and debt left other unfortunate people in their wake, with Debussy unrepentant throughout. In the aftermath of these scandals, Debussy was disowned by his friends, and by most of Parisian society, but the notoriety he gained only seemed to heighten his appeal with audiences. Over the course of this week, Donald Macleod tracks the scandalous life of Achille-Claude Debussy and tries to reconcile his appalling behaviour with his transcendent music.
Today, Donald explores Debussy鈥檚 work as a critic under the pseudonym Monsieur Croche. And, even though the dust has barely settled from the latest scandal in the composer's personal life, there鈥檚 more shocking behaviour to come from Debussy.
Prelude 鈥� La Fille aux cheveux de lin
Daniel Barenboim, piano
3 Chansons de Bilitis
Veronique Gens, soprano
Roger Vignoles, piano
Fetes Galantes - Claire de Lune
Stella Doufexis, mezzo-soprano
Daniel Heide, piano
Trois Nocturnes
Cleveland Orchestra
Ladies of the Cleveland Orchestra Chorus
Pierre Boulez, conductor
Images, L 110 鈥� II. Hommage a Rameau
Seong-Jin Cho, piano
Produced by Sam Phillips for 麻豆社 Audio Wales and West
Last on
Music Played
-
![]()
Claude Debussy
Preludes, Book 1 (No 8, La Fille aux cheveux de lin)
Performer: Daniel Barenboim.- DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON : 479-8741.
- DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON.
- 14.
-
![]()
Claude Debussy
Chansons de Bilitis
Performer: Roger Vignoles. Singer: V茅ronique Gens.- VIRGIN CLASSICS : VC-545360 2.
- VIRGIN CLASSICS.
- 9.
-
![]()
Claude Debussy
Fetes Galantes (No 3, Clair De Lune)
Performer: Daniel Heide. Singer: Stella Doufexis.- BERLIN CLASSICS : 03000524BC.
- BERLIN CLASSICS.
- 7.
-
![]()
Claude Debussy
Nocturnes
Orchestra: The Cleveland Orchestra. Choir: Cleveland Chorus. Conductor: Pierre Boulez.- Nocturnes for Orchestra.
- Deutsche Grammophon.
- 1.
-
![]()
Claude Debussy
Images, L 110 (No 2, Hommage a Rameau)
Performer: Seong-Jin Cho.- DG : 4798308.
- DG.
- 2.
Broadcast
- Wed 1 May 2024 16:00麻豆社 Radio 3
Vaughan Williams Today
Programmes, concerts and features celebrating Vaughan Williams's 150th anniversary.
Beethoven Unleashed 鈥� the box set
The complete set of Radio 3 Beethoven Unleashed podcasts, with Donald Macleod.
What was really wrong with Beethoven?
Georgia Mann and neurosurgeon Henry Marsh examine the composer's numerous health problems
Composers A to Z
Visit the extensive audio archive of Radio 3 programmes about Composers and their works.
Who knew? Five eye-opening stories from Composer of the Week
The production team reflects on 5 of Donald Macleod鈥檚 best stories from the last 20 years
Five reasons why we love Parry's Jerusalem
What is the strange power of Jerusalem which makes strong men weep?
A man out of time 鈥� why Parry's music and ideas were at odds with his image...
The composer of Jerusalem was very far from the conservative figure his image suggests.
Composer Help Page
Find resources and contacts for composers from within the classical music industry.